President Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions between the two countries following American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric and Allegations
Talking to the press over the weekend, the US president hinted at analogous use of force against Colombia, claiming the nation is “very sick too” and “run by an unwell individual who enjoys creating narcotics and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups including one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. End the false accusations," he expressed online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture me, whom a large part of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
The president dedicated some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.
"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the president’s security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Financial Strains
Washington revoked the president's entry visa following he called on US troops to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and several key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
